St. Luke’s Mission partners with Subway to bring gifts to children

Every year, St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy helps more than 3,000 Western New York families during the holidays through donated gifts of food, clothing and toys. St. Luke’s is partnering with the Buffalo Marine Corps and Subway stores across Erie and Niagara counties to expand its outreach.

According to St. Luke’s spokesperson, Nancy Polino, the three-way partnership will specifically benefit needy children throughout the community.

“While St. Luke’s has been dedicated to helping those in need for more than 16 years, our alliance with Subway stores in Western New York will provide us with a greatly expanded ability to bring joy to children across the region during the upcoming Christmas season,” Polino said.

At participating Subway stores, from now until Dec. 15, bins will be set up, courtesy of the India Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines Unit, so that people across the region can stop in and donate new and unwrapped toys.

This is the second year that Subway has partnered with St. Luke’s in collecting toys. Its participation is part of its long-running corporate focus on community care, which it accomplishes through its Helping Society Initiative.

“This year, our participating Subway stores are adding collection boxes at our registers for cash donations, as well as collecting toys, all to benefit St. Luke’s,” said WNY Subway development agent Stephen Stewart. “We ’re particularly grateful to the Marines, who were gracious enough to donate the toy bins and to assist with delivering the toys that people donate at our Subway stores to St. Luke’s. And we’re very happy to support St. Luke’s as every penny and every toy stays local, serving people who come to the mission from throughout Western New York.”

More information about the activities of St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy is available at www.stlu kesmissionofmercy.org.